arXiv subjects

E. A. Baltz

Publications and source records attributed to E. A. Baltz.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2008

Section on Prospects for Dark Matter Detection of the White Paper on the Status and Future of Ground-Based TeV Gamma-Ray Astronomy

This is a report on the findings of the dark matter science working group for the white paper on the status and future of TeV gamma-ray astronomy. The white paper was commissioned by the American Physical Society, and the full white paper can be found on astro-ph (arXiv:0810.0444). This detailed section discusses the prospects for dark matter detection with future gamma-ray experiments, and the complementarity of gamma-ray measurements with other indirect, direct or accelerator-based searches. We conclude that any comprehensive search for dark matter should include gamma-ray observations, both to identify the dark matter particle (through the charac- teristics of the gamma-ray spectrum) and to measure the distribution of dark matter in galactic halos.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

Pre-launch estimates for GLAST sensitivity to Dark Matter annihilation signals

We investigate the sensitivity of the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) to indirectly detect weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) through the $γ$-ray signal that their pair annihilation produces. WIMPs are among the favorite candidates to explain the compelling evidence that about 80% of the mass in the Universe is non-baryonic dark matter (DM). They are serendipitously motivated by various extensions of the standard model of particle physics such as Supersymmetry and Universal Extra Dimensions (UED). With its unprecedented sensitivity and its very large energy range (20 MeV to more than 300 GeV) the main instrument on board the GLAST satellite, the Large Area Telescope (LAT), will open a new window of discovery. As our estimates show, the LAT will be able to detect an indirect DM signature for a large class of WIMP models given a cuspy profile for the DM distribution. Using the current state of the art Monte Carlo and event reconstruction software developed within the LAT collaboration, we present preliminary sensitivity studies for several possible sources inside and outside the Galaxy. We also discuss the potential of the LAT to detect UED via the electron/positron channel. Diffuse background modeling and other background issues that will be important in setting limits or seeing a signal are presented.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Science with the new generation high energy gamma- ray experiments

This Conference is the fifth of a series of Workshops on High Energy Gamma- ray Experiments, following the Conferences held in Perugia 2003, Bari 2004, Cividale del Friuli 2005, Elba Island 2006. This year the focus was on the use of gamma-ray to study the Dark Matter component of the Universe, the origin and propagation of Cosmic Rays, Extra Large Spatial Dimensions and Tests of Lorentz Invariance.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Searching for Kaluza-Klein Dark Matter Signatures in the LAT Electron Flux

We present here the prospects for the GLAST Large Area Telescope (LAT) detection of the signature of the lightest Kaluza-Klein particle (LKP). It decays by direct annihilation into electron-positron pairs that may be detectable in the high energy electron flux. We discuss the LAT capability for detecting the high energy (20 GeV - ~1 TeV) cosmic ray electron flux and we analyze the LAT sensitivity to detect LKP-produced electrons for various particle masses. We include an analysis of the diffusive propagation of the electrons in the galaxy.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Deep Underground Science and Engineering Lab: S1 Dark Matter Working Group

A study of the current status of WIMP dark matter searches has been made in the context of scientific and technical planning for a Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) in the U.S. The table of contents follows: 1. Overview 2. WIMP Dark Matter: Cosmology, Astrophysics, and Particle Physics 3. Direct Detection of WIMPs 4. Indirect Detection of WIMPs 5. Dark Matter Candidates and New Physics in the Laboratory 6. Synergies with Other Sub-Fields 7. Direct Detection Experiments: Status and Future Prospects 8. Infrastructure 9. International Context 10. Summary and Outlook 11. Acknowledgments

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Cosmokinetics

Our fundamental lack of understanding of the acceleration of the Universe suggests that we consider a kinematic description. The simplest formalism involves the third derivative of the scale factor through a jerk parameter. A new approach is presented for describing the results of astronomical observations in terms of the contemporary jerk parameter and this is related to the equation of state approach. Simple perturbative expansions about $Λ$CDM are given.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

DarkSUSY: Computing Supersymmetric Dark Matter Properties Numerically

The question of the nature of the dark matter in the Universe remains one of the most outstanding unsolved problems in basic science. One of the best motivated particle physics candidates is the lightest supersymmetric particle, assumed to be the lightest neutralino - a linear combination of the supersymmetric partners of the photon, the Z boson and neutral scalar Higgs particles. Here we describe DarkSUSY, a publicly-available advanced numerical package for neutralino dark matter calculations. In DarkSUSY one can compute the neutralino density in the Universe today using precision methods which include resonances, pair production thresholds and coannihilations. Masses and mixings of supersymmetric particles can be computed within DarkSUSY or with the help of external programs such as FeynHiggs, ISASUGRA and SUSPECT. Accelerator bounds can be checked to identify viable dark matter candidates. DarkSUSY also computes a large variety of astrophysical signals from neutralino dark matter, such as direct detection in low-background counting experiments and indirect detection through antiprotons, antideuterons, gamma-rays and positrons from the Galactic halo or high-energy neutrinos from the center of the Earth or of the Sun. Here we describe the physics behind the package. A detailed manual will be provided with the computer package.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Diffuse inverse Compton and synchrotron emission from dark matter annihilations in galactic satellites

Annihilating dark matter particles produce roughly as much power in electrons and positrons as in gamma ray photons. The charged particles lose essentially all of their energy to inverse Compton and synchrotron processes in the galactic environment. We discuss the diffuse signature of dark matter annihilations in satellites of the Milky Way (which may be optically dark with few or no stars), providing a tail of emission trailing the satellite in its orbit. Inverse Compton processes provide X-rays and gamma rays, and synchrotron emission at radio wavelengths might be seen. We discuss the possibility of detecting these signals with current and future observations, in particular EGRET and GLAST for the gamma rays.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Detection of Leptonic Dark Matter

Weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) are among the favored candidates for cold dark matter in the universe. The phenomenology of supersymmetric WIMPs has been quite developed during recent years. However, there are other possibilities which have not been discussed as much. One example is a right-handed massive neutrino, which has recently been proposed in the context of a version of the Zee model for massive neutrinos. This TeV-scale, leptonic WIMP (or LIMP, for short) may at first sight appear to be essentially undetectable. However, we point out that the radiatively induced annihilation rate into leptons and photons is bound to be substantial, and provides a conspicuous gamma-ray signature for annihilations in the galactic halo. This gives a window of opportunity for Air Cerenkov Telescopes with ability to observe the galactic center, such as the HESS and CANGAROO arrays, and also for the GLAST space telescope. In addition, the contribution to the positron cosmic ray flux is in principle detectable, but this would require very strong local density enhancements in the dark matter halo distribution.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2002

XENON: a 1 tonne Liquid Xenon Experiment for a Sensitive Dark Matter Search

XENON is a novel liquid xenon experiment concept for a sensitive dark matter search using a 1-tonne active target, distributed in an array of ten independent time projection chambers. The design relies on the simultaneous detection of ionization and scintillation signals in liquid xenon, with the goal of extracting as much information as possible on an event-by-event basis, while maintaining most of the target active. XENON is expected to have effective and redundant background identification and discrimination power, higher than 99.5%, and to achieve a very low threshold, on the order of 4 keV visible recoil energy. Based on this expectation and the 1-tonne mass of active xenon, we project a sensitivity of 0.0001 events/kg/day, after 3 yr operation in an appropriate underground location. The XENON experiment has been recently proposed to the National Science Foundation (NSF) for an initial development phase leading to the development of the 100 kg unit module.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Muon anomalous magnetic moment and supersymmetric dark matter

The anomalous magnetic moment of the muon has recently been measured to be in conflict with the Standard Model prediction with an excess of 2.6 sigma. Taking this result as a measurement of the supersymmetric contribution, we find that at 95% confidence level it imposes an upper bound of about 500 GeV on the neutralino mass and forbids higgsino dark matter. More interestingly, it predicts an accessible lower bound on the direct detection rate, and it strongly favors models detectable by neutrino telescopes. Cosmic ray antideuterons may also be an interesting probe of such models.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2001

Implications of muon anomalous magnetic moment for supersymmetric dark matter

The anomalous magnetic moment of the muon has recently been measured to be in conflict with the Standard Model prediction with an excess of 2.6 sigma. Taking the excess at face value as a measurement of the supersymmetric contribution, we find that at 95% confidence level it imposes an upper bound of 500 GeV on the neutralino mass and forbids higgsinos as being the bulk of cold dark matter. Other implications for the astrophysical detection of neutralinos include: an accessible minimum direct detection rate, lower bounds on the indirect detection rate of neutrinos from the Sun and the Earth, and a suppression of the intensity of gamma-ray lines from neutralino annihilations in the galactic halo.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2001

The Brown Dwarf Mass Function from Pixel Microlensing

We argue that gravitational microlensing is a feasible technique for measuring the mass function of brown dwarf stars in distant galaxies. Microlensing surveys of the bulge of M31, and of M87 in the Virgo cluster, may provide enough events to differentiate the behaviour of the mass function of lenses below the hydrogen burning limit (though we find that M87 is a more favourable target). Such objects may provide a significant supply of baryonic dark matter, an interesting possibility for the study of galactic dynamics. Furthermore, these systems have different metallicities than the solar neighbourhood, which may affect the mass function. These considerations are relevant in the context of star formation studies.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

Detection of Neutralino Annihilation Photons from External Galaxies

We consider neutralino annihilation in dense extragalactic systems known to be dominated by dark matter, in particular M87 and several local dwarf spheroidal galaxies. These annihilations can produce energetic gamma rays which may be visible to atmospheric Cerenkov telescopes. We explore the supersymmetric parameter space, and compute the expected flux of gamma--rays coming from these objects. It is shown that some parts of the parameter space lead to a signal observable with the next generation of Cerenkov telescopes, provided the supersymmetric dark matter has a clumpy structure, as may be expected in a hierarchical scenario for structure formation.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

Neutralino Decay Rates with Explicit R-parity Violation

We compute the neutralino decay rate in the minimal supersymmetric standard model with the addition of explicit R-parity violation. We include the complete squark and slepton mixing matrices, previously neglected, and we improve and correct published formulas. These decays are relevant to accelerator and non-accelerator searches for R-parity violation, and are especially interesting in light of the reported high Q^2 anomaly at HERA.

hep-ph↗